Clean energy cuts utility bills, adds jobs

By: Drew Tompkins
Your Turn
guest columnist

..... With temperatures rising fast and electric bills rising faster, families across New Jersey are felling the heat on all sides.
..... While some politicians are busy pointing fingers about who's to blame for the recent spike in electricity prices, an unlikely coalition of labor unions, business leaders, environmental advocates and community organizations came together around a more productive question: What can we do about it?
..... The answer lies in building more clean energy right here in New Jersey - and doing it in a way hat careers thousands of well-paying jobs, modernizes our aging power gird and protects ratepayers from volatile fossil-fuel prices. That's the vision behind A Roadmap for the Green Economy, a practical job-creating plan to meet the state's energy needs.
..... New Jersey's electricity demand is about to skyrocket over the newt few years. Energy-hungry data centers, population growth and a push to electrify buildings are all driving unprecedented demand. We'll need a lot more power, and fast.
..... There are two ways to get that power, and state lawmakers will have to make a choice.
..... We can double down on fossil fuels, locking ourselves into outdated infrastructure that sends our dollars out of state. Or we can produce clean energy right her in the state, creating well-paying jobs for New jersey workers, lowering long-term costs for New Jersey households and building a resilient economy for New Jersey businesses and families alike.
..... The Jersey Renews coalition lays out a clear path forward: expand solar power, build infrastructure for offshore wind, electrify transpiration and modernize the grid with battery storage.

Better jobs, stoner economy

..... Most people already understand how generating more clean energy would be the best thing for the environment. What's less obvious is hat clean energy, if it;s produced right her in the state, would also come with enormous economic benefits.
..... Unlike fossil fuel jobs tied to out-of-state extraction and international markets, clean energy jobs would stay in New Jersey. A union electrician installing solar panes, a steelworker fabricating offshore wind components, a construction crew building electric-vehicle charger infrastructure - they're all powering a stronger, more self--reliant New Jersey economy. already, more than 50,000 workers across the state are employed in clean energy jobs, many of them in construction, manufacturing and the skilled trades.
..... And for ratepayers, the benefits are just as clear. Locally produced energy means more predictable utility bills and less exposure to global energy prices shocks. when international conflict or extreme weather drives up the cost of oil and gas, New Jersey families pay the price. But when we produce more of our own energy, we gain control over our future.

Smart investment

..... Even as demand is expected to rise in the next few years, New Jersey's electric grid is showing sings of strain. Outages, surges and equipment failures are becoming more common, costing businesses millions in lost productivity and forcing families to throw out groceries during blackouts.
..... Clean energy wouldn't just generate more power but would deliver it more reliably and efficiently. Modernizing our grid with battery storage would make sure power is available where and when it;s needed most. It also would save money.
..... For example, New Jersey's EV owners have already contributed over $85 million more to the grid than it costs to serve them. With vehicle-to-grid technology, those same cars could become mobile batteries, sending electricity back during peak demand and reducing pressure on the system for everyone.

Inclusive workforce

..... Clean energy also presents a once-in-a-generation chance to build a stronger and more inclusive workforce. With targeted training and apprenticeship programs, we can cerate career pathways for young people and residents of historically undeserved communities across the state.
..... And we're committed to making sure these are good jobs with fair wages, strong benefactors and safe working conditions, often guarantied thorough union contracts. That's what a just transition to clean energy looks like,, where we build the economy of tomorrow without leaving anyone behind.

The road ahead

..... New Jersey stands at a crossroads. If we choose to invest in clean energy, we'll not only reduce emissions but cerate thousands of well-paying jobs, protect working families form rising utility bills, modernize our infrastructure and strengthen our economy for the long haul.
..... The Jersey Renews platform offers a clear, actionable plan to get there. It's time for our state's leaders to move beyond pointing fingers and embrace the opportunity of a clean energy economy that would benefit all of us.

..... Drew Tompkins is the campaign director for the Jersey Renews coalition. Its platform, A Roadmap for a Green Economy, includes contributions from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, United Steelworkers District 4, New Jersey Work environment Council, Environment New Jersey, Clean Water Action and Sierra Club.